Tape cassette having a pivotably movable main lid and a guidably movable top lid

Abstract

A tape cassette including a cassette case having a pair of tape reels having a recording tape wound therebetween and having an opening for providing access to the recording tape; a main lid pivotably mounted on opposite side faces of the cassette case; a top lid pivotably mounted on the main lid; and a guide apparatus. Upon opening or closing the main lid so as to provide access to the magnetic tape, the top lid is respectively moved rearwardly from a position in which the top lid covers an upper portion of the opening or forwardly so as to cover the upper portion of the opening. The guide apparatus guides the top lid during such movement thereof so as to avoid sliding or rubbing of a lower face of the top lid on an upper face of the cassette case.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tape cassette comprising: a pair of tape reels having a recording tape wound therebetween;   a cassette case holding said pair of tape reels therein and having an opening for providing access to said recording tape, said cassette case further having an upper wall and only one cam located in a central portion of said cassette case which is adjacent to said opening;   a main lid pivotably mounted on opposite side faces of said cassette case for covering at least a front portion of said opening when said main lid is in a closed position and exposing said at least front portion of said opening when said main lid is in an opened position;   a top lid pivotably mounted on said main lid so as to be movable therewith, said top lid being located so as to cover an upper portion of said opening when said main lid is in said closed position and being at least partially located on top of an upper surface of said upper wall of said cassette case when said main lid is in said opened position; and   guide means, including a cam shaft and only one guide groove formed of an outer edge of said cam and a horizontal portion and an inclined portion of an inner surface of said upper wall of said cassette case, for guiding said top lid over said upper surface of said upper wall of said cassette case when said main lid is opened and closed by having said cam shaft contact at least one of said outer edge of said cam and said horizontal portion and said inclined portion of said inner surface of said upper wall so as to prevent an inner surface of said top lid from sliding along said upper surface of said upper wall;   said recording tape being accessible when said main lid is in said opened position and being substantially covered when said main lid is in said closed position.   
     
     
       2. A tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein said cam shaft is coupled to said top lid, and wherein said top lid is moved in a substantially rearward direction when said main lid is opened and is moved in a substantially forward direction when said main lid is closed. 
     
     
       3. A tape cassette according to claim 2, wherein said cassette case includes an upper shell and a lower shell and wherein said inclined portion of said guide groove extends from a front lower end portion of said cassette case toward an upper rear portion thereof and said horizontal portion of said guide groove is contiguous to said inclined portion. 
     
     
       4. A tape cassette according to claim 3, wherein a rear end portion of said top lid is held at a height which is between a first height from a bottom face of said upper shell to said main lid and a second height from said bottom face of said upper shell to an upper portion of said upper shell when said main lid is in said opened position. 
     
     
       5. A tape cassette according to claim 4, further comprising a back lid coupled to a rear portion of said top lid and adapted for pivotal motion therewith, said back lid being arranged such that said recording tape is held between said back lid and said main lid. 
     
     
       6. A tape cassette comprising: a pair of tape reels having a recording tape wound therebetween;   a cassette case holding said pair of tape reels therein and having an opening for providing access to said recording tape, said cassette case including an upper shell and a lower shell;   a main lid pivotably mounted on opposite side faces of said cassette case for covering at least a front portion of said opening when said main lid is in a closed position and exposing said at least front portion of said opening when said main lid is in an opened position;   a top lid, including means for contacting, pivotably mounted on said main lid so as to be movable therewith, said top lid being located so as to cover an upper portion of said opening when said main lid is in said closed position and being at least partially located on top of an upper surface of said cassette case when said main lid is in said opened position, in which a rear end portion of said top lid is held at a height which is between a first height from a bottom face of said upper shell to said main lid and a second height from said bottom face of said upper shell to an upper portion of said upper shell when said main lid is in said opened position;   a back lid including a back lid guide coupled to a rear portion of said top lid and adapted for pivotal motion therewith, said back lid being arranged such that said recording tape is held between said back lid and said main lid; and   guide means arranged in said cassette case and including a first guide groove having an inclined portion extending from a front lower end portion of said cassette case toward an upper rear portion thereof and a flat portion contiguous to said inclined portion and a second guide groove located on a side face of said cassette case for guiding said top lid over said upper surface of said cassette case when said main lid is opened and closed so as to prevent an inner surface of said top lid from sliding along said upper surface of said cassette case and for guiding said back lid guide of said back lid by said second guide groove so as to move said back lid to an upper portion of said upper shell;   said top lid being moved in a substantially rearward direction when said main lid is opened and being moved in a substantially forward direction when said main lid is closed while the contacting means contacts said guide means,   said recording tape being accessible when said main lid is in said opened position and being substantially covered when said main lid is in said closed position.   
     
     
       7. A tape cassette according to claim 6, wherein movements of said top lid and said back lid are controlled so as to move upwardly after a relatively small time period has passed since said main lid began to open. 
     
     
       8. A tape cassette according to claim 6, wherein said back lid is arranged between said top lid and said upper portion of said upper shell when said main lid is in said opened position. 
     
     
       9. A tape cassette according to claim 8, wherein said back lid is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to said main lid and said top lid which are substantially arranged in a row when said main lid is in said opened position. 
     
     
       10. A tape cassette according to claim 9, wherein said top lid and said back lid are arranged so as to avoid contact with said upper shell. 
     
     
       11. A tape cassette comprising: a pair of tape reels having a recording tape wound therebetween;   a cassette case holding said pair of tape reels therein and having an opening for providing access to said recording tape, said cassette case including an upper shell and a lower shell;   a main lid pivotably mounted on opposite side faces of said cassette case for covering at least a front portion of said opening when said main lid is in a closed position and exposing said at least front portion of said opening when said main lid is in an opened position;   a top lid pivotably mounted on said main lid so as to be movable therewith, said top lid being located so as to cover an upper portion of said opening when said main lid is in said closed position and being at least partially located on top of an upper surface of said cassette case when said main lid is in said opened position;   a back lid including a back lid guide coupled to a rear portion of said top lid and adapted for pivotal motion therewith; and   guide means arranged in said cassette case and including a first guide groove having an inclined portion and a flat portion contiguous to said inclined portion and a second guide groove located on a side face of said cassette case for guiding said top lid over said upper surface of said cassette case when said main lid is opened and closed so as to prevent an inner surface of said top lid from sliding along said upper surface of said cassette case and for guiding (aid back lid guide) of said back lid by said second guide groove so as to move said back lid to an upper portion of said upper shell;   said recording tape being accessible when said main lid is in said opened position and being substantially covered when said main lid is in said closed position.